Improve Through Consultative Selling

April 1, 2010byTim Malone

In consultative selling, a jewelry sales associate acts as a consultant to a buyer. A consultative salesperson doesn’t pitch products, but recommends jewelry that solves a shopper’s fashion, accessory, or jewelry problem. Consultative selling creates long-term relationships built on trust and promotes referrals. Follow these steps:

Approach selling jewelry as solving a problem for a customer. Any matter involving doubt, uncertainty, or difficulty is a problem to be solved. A jewelry problem solver begins with a commanding knowledge of the inventory’s features, benefits, and technical gemological characteristics. Understand, however, that product knowledge is a necessary means to the sale, not the main strategy.

Be a trusted advisor. At least one-third of all jewelry shoppers are leisure shopping and will purchase impulsively. The rest have a purpose. It might be a gift for a loved one or a self gift. Moving the discussion to the desires of the shopper transforms the buyer/seller relationship into a novice/trusted advisor relationship.

Probe. Learn to ask the right in-depth questions about the fashion, accessory, and jewelry needs, wants, demands, and desires of shoppers. Ask open-ended questions including who, what, when, where, and why questions. Effective probing uncovers the customer’s shopping motives and personal feelings and identifies attitudes toward fashion, accessories, and jewelry. It helps the consultative salesperson develop a complete understanding of the buyer’s situation and gives the client confidence in the salesperson’s recommendations.

Understand how to add value. Every expense that adds to the cost of jewelry must create value—at least as perceived by the customer. Store location and atmospherics, brands carried, and professionalism of sales associates all can add value in the eyes of the customer. The more focused the jewelry store is on customers, the more effective the added value. Consultative selling enables sales associates to determine what’s most appreciated by each customer and respond accordingly.